The Braid
by apatheticries
Summary: What ever happened to Ahsoka's Padawan braid, after she refused the Council's offer the rejoin the Jedi Order? Was it gotten rid of? Or kept as a promise?


Anakin desperately raced for his former Padawan.

"Ahsoka! I need to talk to you!"

The former Togrutan Jedi whipped around. "Anakin…"

"Why are you doing this? The Jedi Order is your life!"

"Anakin, the Council didn't trust me. How can I trust _myself_ now? I need to sort things out by myself, without the Council, and without _you_."

Anakin was suddenly taken aback. Of course, always a slave to his attachments…

"I understand, more than you realize," he began, "I understand wanting to walk away from the order."

Ahsoka turned away. After a few steps, she came to a stop…

"_I know."_

Anakin looked down to the braid still grasped in his fingers. Hastily, he dropped it into a back pocket and assured himself, _as a promise._

And Ahsoka Tano steadily walked into the sunset, starting a new journey.

* * *

Emperor Palpatine looked over his newly found Empire in accord…

His new apprentice is finally ready to pursue the dark side of the Force…truly become Darth Vader…

While it had been a little hiccup to have to recover his body from the battle on Mustafar, Vader could still draw power from his emotions—anger and hate…

Fear.

Even so, Vader had the power to negotiate, which hopefully wouldn't get in the way of things.

And just as scheduled, the new Sith entered the room…

"Master…" Vader mannerly bowed his head to Palpatine, who hastily replied:

"_What is it?"_

"Did you…salvage anything from my body on Mustafar?"

_Of course he wants the braid, _Palpatine thought.

"Why do you ask, my apprentice?"

"There is something…I would like to keep with me."

The Emperor jerked his head around to Vader. "Will it let you fulfill your duties as a _Sith _lord?"

"Nothing can prevent me from doing that, Master."

"Very well," Palpatine hissed, "I have kept it for you…" Slowly, he pulled out the Padawan braid, and cupped it in his hand.

_Surely, _this _is something that can produce hate…_

He held it out to Vader and softly added, "Make good use of it."

Vader quickly grabbed it. "Thank you, Master."

_The 'Hero With No Fear' must be gone…_

* * *

Now, Vader saw his Master…

Obi-Wan…

"I have been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last…"

His lightsaber a color of blood red, while Obi-Wan's still resembled the long gone Jedi Order…as blue.

Vader continued, "The circle is complete. When I first met you, I was but a learner. Now _I _am the Master."

"Only a Master of evil, Darth."

And the battle begun…

"Your powers are weak, old man," Vader firmly replied to his former Master.

"You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you can imagine."

"You should not have come back!"

After more swings and misses, Obi-Wan Kenobi turned, to find young Luke Skywalker…  
"Ben?"

Obi-Wan smiled. He said to Vader, "I know you still have it…Anakin."

He brought his blade up, which gave Vader the chance…to end him.

"_No!"_

_No._

* * *

The Emperor was dead…

But it wasn't Vader who destroyed him by throwing him down the Death Star's shaft…

No, it was Anakin.

Anakin _was _the Chosen One after all, wasn't he?

However, the operation mortally wounded him...

Now he lay in front of his son, whom he could finally see with his own eyes…

"Now go, my son…leave me."

"No, you're coming with me. I won't leave you here, I've got to save you."

"You already have, Luke. You were right…you were right about me…

"My son, there is something in my back pocket you must have…"

Luke reached into the pocket, feeling a thin object and gently pulling it out.

"I had an apprentice once. Her name is Ahsoka Tano…find her for me. Tell her…Anakin is sorry.

"And tell your sister…_you were right_."

* * *

The Togrutan female watched as Luke lit the funeral pyre.

"I burn his armor, and with it the name of Darth Vader. May the name of Anakin Skywalker be a light that guides the Jedi for generations to come…Rest well, father. The Force is with you…"

She made her way towards the son; aware he had something that used to belong to her.

He was gazing upon the flames when she stopped before him. She held a hand out; "You _will _give me what's in your pocket."

Luke reached into his back pocket and dropped it in her cupped hand.

Luke did not at all recognize the hooded figure, but followed her command anyway.

She smiled at the braid she held now.

"Ahsoka Tano?"

Ahsoka jerked her head up, at Luke.

She nodded. "Your father was a good man, Luke."

"He always was," Luke replied, "He just made a mistake."

"Maybe few…" Ahsoka said, and chuckled softly at all the times she saved him.

Just as she turned to leave, Luke said:

"Anakin is sorry."

She continued into the crowd.

"_I know."_


End file.
